陈鸽 我正规的神学教育装备了我，来应对将来许多神学的争战。我们预备好了要捍卫圣经的无误，也有能力护卫圣灵真实的工作。我们更了解成圣的正确模式，并可以对灵恩运动的滥用作出回击。我们学会了如何与自由派争战，如何对付天主教，如何处理邪教问题，然而，福音本身在福音派中，却似乎毋庸置疑、不成问题。当然，情况已今非昔比了！
唯一的救主
历史上，正统基督教一直都在传讲信靠基督的信息。我们在圣经中找到了这信息内容的客观依据。自新约时代以来，真正的基督徒一直都相信，只有藉着耶稣基督的福音，才能将罪人从地狱中拯救出来，与上帝和好。为了传扬这信息，几百年来，基督徒甘心情愿地舍身流血。他们不惜重价、花费千金把宣教士送到世界最遥远的角落。在很多情况下，这些传教士甚至牺牲自己的性命来传送这一绝无仅有的、独特的信息。整个教会历史中，基督教的核心信息一直是，只有那些凭着信心接受基督之位格与工作的人才能得到救恩，就是唯独信基督才能得救。
是否有必要？
然而哀哉，真是讽刺：在我们这个时代，拥有比先前任何时候更有效的途径把这荣耀的福音传到地极，教会反而缩手缩脚，怀疑起传福音是否有必要了。我们因人类的罪恶和地狱的事实而感到尴尬，又害怕呼召罪人悔改并承认耶稣为主会绊倒他们，更急于“维护”上帝免于任何人的责难与控告，于是，我们竟提出人是否需要听见福音才能得救的质疑。毕竟，许多人都说，神的爱是无条件的（不论你如何，他都一样爱你）。
我们对基督的主权和称义的教义提出疑问，我们又对归算的原则以及信仰和悔改的本质感到困惑，还有许多人公开质疑是否有相信耶稣基督的必要性，更有人肯定无需信耶稣才得救。
和稀泥牧师
如今，福音派一词已经变得模棱两可，以至失去了真正的意义。百分之45至65所谓福音派的基督徒，相信耶稣不是进天国唯一的途径。不但如此，更有许多有名望并受欢迎的福音派领袖，也在提倡这种离经叛道的神学。这些糊里糊涂的“使徒”宁可放弃圣经的精准性，以求得他们自己所设计的、更温和、更体贴、更便于人们接纳的虚假的福音。
在2008年总统竞选期间，两位候选人都访问了华理克牧师（Rick Warren）的马鞍峯教会（Saddleback Church）受到了接连的采访。这次活动是这一选举周期中，第一次将这两位候选人同时放在所有主要的新闻联网上，向全国的观众播放。
蒙混进天堂
当共和党候选人麦凯恩（John McCain）接受采访时，华理克牧师问到这位参议员的信仰：“你毫不隐晦地承认自己是基督徒，并公开宣告你是基督的跟随者。请问，这对你而言意味着什么呢？这个信仰是如何在你的日常生活中体现出来的呢？信仰对你有什么意义？“
麦凯恩回答说：“这意味着我得救了，蒙赦免了。”接着，他讲述了他作战俘时的经历。然后，华理克很干脆地回答：“就那么容易！”，仿佛在说，标准答案！太简单了！我们不需要再讨论这个问题了。
但问题没这么简单，我们还需要问：从什么当中拯救出来？到底被谁赦免了？
麦凯恩的回答，对福音没有任何具体的说明。他没有提到罪，没有提到基督，并对十字架，空坟墓，和将来荣耀的盼望，也都一字不提。“蒙拯救了、得赦免了”，听起来似乎很属灵，好像暗示自己是基督徒，但这些话没有涉及到福音的基本要义，根本不痛不痒，等于啥都没说，最糟糕的是，华理克牧师竟然认同这是一个充分的答案。
福音排他性
当基督教信仰不能与虚假的宗教区分时，任何所谓的基督教信仰告白或宣言都是不足够的。我们相信唯独基督是救主，除他以外，别无拯救。这排他的信仰，使我们与世人分别为圣，成为基督徒。但正如我们下一篇会看到的，在这一点上，现代福音派却模棱两可、混淆不清。
麦克阿瑟（改编自“好消息”）
——————————
原文如下：
Apostles of Ambiguity
by John MacArthur
Monday, September 10, 2018
My formal seminary education prepared me for many theological battles. We were equipped to defend the inerrancy of Scripture. We were prepared to defend the true ministry of the Holy Spirit, understand the proper paradigm of sanctification, and respond to the abuses of the Charismatic Movement. We learned how to battle liberalism, counter Catholicism, and deal with the cults, but the gospel seemed to be a settled issue in the evangelical world. Certainly, that is no longer the case.
Historically, the message of Christianity has always been the message of faith in Christ. The objective content of that message is found in Scripture. Since the New Testament era, true Christians have always believed that the only way sinners can be rescued from hell and reconciled to God is through the gospel of Jesus Christ. For centuries, Christians have given their lives and shed their blood to make that message known. They have spent their fortunes to send missionaries to the farthest corners of the world. In many cases, those missionaries gave their lives to spread that exclusive and unique message. Throughout church history, the core message of Christianity has always been that salvation comes only to those who believe the truth about the Person and work of Jesus Christ and receive it by faith alone.
So it is a pathetic irony that in our time, with greater means than ever to proclaim the glories of the gospel to the ends of the earth, the church has become confused as to whether preaching the gospel is even necessary. Embarrassed by the realities of sin and hell, fearful of offending the perishing by calling them to repent and confess Jesus as Lord, and desperate to save God from being responsible for anyone’s condemnation, we have raised questions about whether people even need to hear the gospel. After all, God loves you just the way you are, many will say.
We have questions about the lordship of Christ and the doctrine of justification. We’re confused about the doctrine of imputation and about the nature of faith and repentance. Many wonder openly, is it even necessary to believe in Jesus Christ? Others are confident it is not.
Today the word evangelical is so ambiguous that it doesn’t really mean anything. Somewhere between 45 and 65 percent of so-called evangelical Christians are convinced that Jesus is not the only way to heaven. Not only that, there are some very popular and prominent evangelical leaders who are promoting that deviant theology. These apostles of ambiguity are happy to abandon biblical precision for the sake of a softer, more palatable pseudogospel of their own design.
During the 2008 presidential campaign, both candidates visited Rick Warren’s Saddleback Church for back-to-back interviews. The event was the first of that election cycle to feature both candidates together, and it was broadcast on all the major news networks to a nationwide audience. In his interview with Senator John McCain, the Republican candidate, Warren asked about the senator’s faith, “You’ve made no doubt about the fact that you are a Christian. You publically say you are a follower of Christ. What does that mean to you and how does faith work out in your life on a daily basis? What does it mean to you?”
McCain responded, “It means I’m saved and forgiven,” and he went on to tell a story about his time as a prisoner of war. Warren simply replied, “That was just a gimme,” as if to say, That was so simple. You got it right. We don’t need to discuss that any further.
But there was still much more that needed to be said. Saved from what? Forgiven by whom?
McCain’s answer lacked any specificity about the gospel at all. There was no mention of sin and no mention of Christ. There wasn’t a word about the cross, the empty tomb, or the future glory that awaits. “Saved and forgiven” might have a hint of Christian spirituality to it, but it leaves every vital gospel doctrine on the cutting-room floor. Worst of all, Warren affirmed it as a sufficient answer.
There is nothing sufficient about any supposed confession of Christian faith when it can’t be distinguished from false religions. And nothing distinguishes us more as believers than our exclusive faith in Christ, the only way of salvation. But as we’ll see next time, modern evangelicalism is now awash with obfuscation and equivocation on that very issue.
（Adapted from Good News
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